William S. Griswold (1870-1950)
'William S. Griswold '(October 29, 1870 - May 1950) was a prominent member in town. Griswold was born on October 29, 1870 in West Hartford to Samuel A. Griswold and Frances P. Flagg. He attended West Hartford public schools and Hartford Public High School. In 1892, he joined the Aetna Life Insurance Company, and retired from his post in the life accounts department in 1926. He served as representative to the Legislature from town in 1909 and 1910. He was also a member of one of the first town councils under the town manager form of government. Griswold was also a member of Wyllys Lodge; Pythagoras Chapter, RAM; Wolcott Council, RFM; and Washington Commandery. In late May 1950, Griswold died at his home of 3 Arnoldale Road. Family Griswold married Adelaide J. Thompson in September 1914. She died in February 1916. Griswold married Adelaide Williams in January 1919, originally the wife of Alfred B. White, Jr. Organizations * Elected treasurer of the First Ecclesiastical Society (March 14, 1894) * Nominated as Republican nominee for the town on October 31, 1906, after 14 years as clerk for Aetna Life Insurance Company. * Chosen delegate to the state convention as a Republican in April 1908; again in September 1912. He resigned from the Republican town committee in February 1916. * Succeeded Niles G. White on the board of relief in January 1915; succeeded Joel L. English on the finance board in March 1915. He resigned from the board of relief in March 1917. Real Estate * Rented his North Quaker Lane house, newly built, to Mrs. Sarah Bent of Hartford in the fall of 1902. The Bent Brothers lived and had their manufacturing office in the home until 1904, when they removed to Woodbury, where they secured a large shop. * Rented his second new home on North Quaker Lane to William S. Conning in January 1916. * Rented his home on Fern Street to Abraham Janes, a blacksmith whose shop was burned down, in January 1912 until May 1, 1912. * Sold the Fern Street farm at North Quaker Lane to Alex Smith and Frederick H. Kenyon on April 8, 1917, moving to help develop Steele Road. The former Griswold farm became part of the Waverly Company's land tract. He moved to 21 North Quaker Lane. Land Use and Business * Built a house on his North Quaker Lane property near Farmington Avenue in August 1901; built the second home on the street in September 1915. * Griswold asked for the grading of Fern Street prior to the laying of a large water main in January 1917. Accident * Drove an automobile that accidentally ran over an 11-year-old child in Berlin on June 3, 1910. Personal * Vacationed in Boston in the summer of 1894; 1897; 1902. * Went to the White Mountains in the summer of 1897 and visited Jamestown, New York in September 1899. He vacationed at Crescent Beach in the summer of 1900 and the Adirondacks in 1905.